Limited-Access
Graduates of this program will earn their A.S. degree in Criminal Justice. The Criminal Justice Field Learning Track is limited to students who possess a valid and current Florida state certification in corrections or law enforcement, who are currently employed full time with a local or state corrections agency or law enforcement agency, and who remain employed while enrolled in CCJ 2942, CCJ 2943, and CCJ 2944.
Associate of Science Degree (CIP# 1743010302)
The purpose of the Criminal Justice Field Learning Track in Corrections or Law Enforcement is to provide a pathway for active duty corrections or law enforcement officers in Florida to earn an accelerated A.S. degree through the award of articulated credits for work-based learning and industry certifications.
The Criminal Justice Field Learning Track under the Criminal Justice A.S. degree program offers a student a broad background in the history, philosophy, organization, management and operation of the criminal justice system. It is designed for students currently working in corrections or law enforcement who seek professional growth and/or advancement within their organizations, or employment in another field of criminal justice. Graduates of this program may also transfer into a Bachelors of Applied Science program at Valencia College.
The critical difference between the Field Learning Track and the standard Criminal Justice A.S. degree program is the requirement that students complete the three 6 credit hour Criminal Justice Field Experience courses (CCJ 2942, CCJ 2943, and CCJ 2944). The field experience courses are designed to allow students to earn college credits for the work they do on the job, while also layering in additional online academic activities aligned to learning outcomes from other courses in the Criminal Justice A.S. degree. The successful completion of the three Criminal Justice Field Experience courses would allow a student to earn 18 credit hours for work-based learning. Combined with the 6-12 credit hours awarded (Corrections Track) or combined with the 15 credit hours awarded (Law Enforcement Track) through successful completion of the state law enforcement academy and the FDLE licensing exam, a student in the Criminal Justice Field Learning Program could earn 24-30 credit hours (Corrections Track) or 33 credit hours (Law Enforcement Track), [the award of credits through the academy articulation would be based on the clock hours of the academy program a student attended] through work-based learning, which reduces the length and cost of the Criminal Justice A.S. degree program.
Although scheduling may not always provide for the ideal progression of courses, students should follow the outlined course sequence as a guide in program planning. It should be noted that students must take CCJ 2942, CCJ 2943, and CCJ 2944 in sequential order.
Students are strongly encouraged to consult a Criminal Justice Career Program Advisor for assistance in determining the best education plan for their career goals.
Students wishing to transfer any credits from this program to another institution must accept responsibility for securing approval from the transfer institution.
All degree-seeking students must satisfy entry testing requirements and satisfactorily complete all mandatory courses in reading, student success, mathematics, English, and English for Academic Purposes in which the student is placed.
The three 6 credit hour Field Experience courses (CCJ 2942, CCJ 2943, and CCJ 2944) are the limited access element of the program and require that a student possess a valid and current Florida state certification in corrections or law enforcement and be currently employed full-time with a local or state corrections agency, In order to enroll in the Field Experience courses, a student must first provide evidence of current employment in corrections or law enforcement.
Enrollment Steps
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Complete the college’s admissions requirements.
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Declare as a Criminal Justice A.S. degree program major.
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Attend the New Student Orientation (NSO).
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Meet with the Career Program Advisor
Program Admission Requirements
Possess a valid and current FDLE state certification in corrections or law enforcement. This is only required for students planning to take CCJ 2942, CCJ 2943, and CCJ 2944. Certification status will be verified by reviewing the student’s Geo-profile in ATMS.
Be currently employed with a local or state corrections agency while enrolled in CCJ 2042, CCJ 2043, and CCJ 2044. Employment status will be verified by reviewing the student’s Geo-profile in ATMS.
Start Right
Degree-seeking students enrolling at Valencia for the first time will have a limited range of courses from which to choose for their first 18 college-level credits. Within the first 18 college credit hours, you will be required to take ENC1101 (3 credits) and a mathematics or science course (3 credits) appropriate to your selected meta-major. The remaining courses will be chosen from the General Education Core Courses in humanities (3 credits), general education elective (3 credits), PSY 2012 or SYG 2000 (3 credits), and CCJ 2942 (3 credits). For course sequencing recommendations, see your Career Program Advisor or create an education plan by logging into Atlas, clicking on the LifeMap tab and clicking My Education Plan.
Potential Careers
- Police Officer
- Law Enforcement Officer
- Deputy Sheriff
- Security Officer
- Crime Analyst/Technician
- Criminal Justice Administration
- Correctional Officer
- Detective and Investigator
- Loss Prevention Specialist
- Emergency Communications Specialist
Salary & Earnings Information
For career information related to this program, please visit O*Net OnLine.
Contacts
Your Career Program Advisor contact information can be found in Atlas. Log into Atlas, click on the Courses tab, and check your Academic Profile information to find a link to your Advisor.
East Campus Faculty Program Chair
Brian Murphy: 407-582-2381
jmurphy60@valenciacollege.edu
West Campus Faculty Program Chair
Lauren Sykes: 407-582-5673
lsykes3@valenciacollege.edu
Osceola Campus Faculty Program Chair
Dave Heffernan: 321-682-4223
dheffernan@valenciacollege.edu
Alternative Ways to Earn Credit
Graduates of specific programs at Osceola Technical College (oTECH), formerly Technical Education Center Osceola (TECO), may be eligible to receive college credit for specific courses in this program. For information and requirements, go to https://valenciacollege.edu/academics/programs/as-degree/credit-otec.php to view the Criminal Justice articulation agreement. Eligible students should contact the related academic department and/or career program advisor at Valencia for the award of credit.
Students who have successfully completed a state-certified training academy such as Valencia’s Criminal Justice Institute and passed a recognized state certification exam for Law Enforcement Officer, Corrections Officer or Probation/Parole Officer, may also be eligible to receive credit for certain courses in this program. For information and requirements, go to https://valenciacollege.edu/academics/programs/as-degree/credit-industry-certification-agreements.php to view the Award of Credit agreement and complete a request form. To have the credit awarded, students should bring the required documentation to the Dean’s academic department for verification and approval.
Internship and Workforce Services
If you need assistance with job resources or in locating an internship, please visit: valenciacollege.edu/internship.
